GeneOne Life Science and Inovio Pharmaceuticals to Collaborate on Zika Virus Vaccine Development
January 22 2016 - 5:00AM
GeneOne Life Science (KSE:011000) today announced the initiation of
a collaborative research program with Inovio Pharmaceuticals
(NASDAQ:INO) to test and advance a DNA-based vaccine for preventing
and treating the emerging and virulent Zika virus infection.
Inovio and its collaborators are leveraging their past
experience in designing and testing novel DNA-based vaccines for
related viruses including the West Nile, dengue, and chikungunya
viruses. Moreover, Inovio and GeneOne are currently collaborating
on two phase I stage vaccine candidates for severe infectious
diseases: INO-4212, a vaccine for Ebola infection and GLS-5300, a
vaccine for MERS infection. The Zika virus vaccine candidate is
currently undergoing preclinical animal studies to evaluate its
immunogenicity.
Mr. Young K. Park, CEO, GeneOne Life Science, said, “We are
moving rapidly with Inovio and our academic collaborators to test a
vaccine for this fast-spreading viral disease causing major birth
defects in newborns. We aim to be on the front line of defense
against major emerging infectious disease such as Ebola, MERS and
now the Zika virus.”
Zika virus is a flavivirus, a family of viruses which includes
yellow fever, dengue, and the West Nile viruses which are
introduced to people through mosquito bites. The species of
mosquito that carry Zika can also carry both dengue virus and
chikungunya with reports of persons getting these infections
simultaneously. The most common symptoms of the Zika virus disease
are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis. More seriously, a
link to severe birth defects called microcephaly have recently been
observed resulting from infected mothers. Microcephaly is a rare
condition marked by an abnormally small head and is associated
with incomplete brain development.
First identified in Uganda, Zika virus subsequently spread to
equatorial Asia, and over the past 2 years has rapidly spread
through the South Pacific including Hawaii and to South America,
Central America, and the Caribbean. Because the Aedes species
mosquitoes that spread Zika virus are found throughout the world,
it is likely that outbreaks will spread to new countries. In fact,
new cases of the Zika virus infection have already been confirmed
in Colorado, Texas, Hawaii, Florida, and Illinois. All of the Zika
cases to date in the U.S. involve foreign travel, including some
pregnant women.
This month the U.S. Centers for Disease Control advised pregnant
women to avoid travel to 14 countries and territories in Latin
America and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, Mexico and Haiti.
The biggest outbreak has been reported in Brazil, the location for
the 2016 Olympics, where over 4,000 children have been born with
microcephaly from the Zika virus infection over the past two years.
Officials there are urging women to delay pregnancy until the
crisis is under control. There is also a concern that Zika can
spread sexually – as has been reported for some returning
travelers. There is no vaccine and no course of treatment for
the Zika virus.
About GeneOne Life Science
GeneOne Life Science Inc. is an international DNA vaccine
developer and leading contract manufacturer of DNA plasmid-based
agents for pre-clinical and clinical trials for global companies
and institutions. It researches and develops DNA vaccines to
prevent and treat incurable diseases in South Korea and
internationally. The company is headquartered in Seoul, South
Korea. VGXI, Inc., GeneOne's wholly-owned manufacturing subsidiary
located in Texas, is the largest pure-play cGMP DNA plasmid
manufacturing facility in the world.
About Inovio Pharmaceuticals,
Inc.
Inovio is taking immunotherapy to the next level
in the fight against cancer and infectious diseases. We are the
only immunotherapy company that is generating T cells in vivo in
high quantity that are fully functional and whose killing capacity
correlates with relevant clinical outcomes with a favorable safety
profile. With an expanding portfolio of immune therapies, the
company is advancing a growing preclinical and clinical stage
product pipeline. Partners and collaborators include MedImmune,
Roche, University of Pennsylvania, DARPA, GeneOne Life Science,
Drexel University, NIH, HIV Vaccines Trial Network, National Cancer
Institute, U.S. Military HIV Research Program, and University of
Manitoba. For more information, visit www.inovio.com.
Media Contact:
Jeffrey C. Richardson
484-683-5553
jeff@richardsonglobalpr.com
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